Who are you?
by Sabelina
Summary: When Gold goes to find Bea he finds the last thing he excepted. What happened to Bea after he was send here, and who is the women at his door? Gold can't figure it out. Rated M for language, and other things I haven't thought of yet. Short chapters.
1. Chapter 1

Hi everyone! I'm reposting the first chapter because I wanted to fix a few errors and was hoping I'll get a better response.

So I know 2.12 has not been seen yet but I saw a little spoiler about how Belle reacts when Rumplestiltskin tries to kiss her and she screams bloody murder. So that has happened and now Rumplestiltskin realizes there is not much he can do to help Belle's state of mind. He hates to leave her, but with Hook still around Rumplestiltskin wants to find Bae soon. So he asks his favor of Miss Swan to help him find Bea and travel with him to Manhattan. Here goes!

The building in across the street from them was at least six stories tall, white and tan bricked, and looked to be almost a hundred years old with its ornate windows classical details. Also it was shaped at a flattened point the fit the forty degree angle of the joining streets. A Laundromat, Derek's, with a maroon awning outshined a few other ill displayed businesses. The street itself looked like a good neighborhood having clean sidewalks and trees plants everywhere possible.

"Well here we are, Gold." Emma let out a sigh of relief for almost being done with Rumplestiltskin, "60 St Nicholas Ave New York. Now where's the door. "

She looked down at Henry ruffling his hair, "Race you to the third floor, kid?"

"I don't think so, Miss Swan." Gold said quietly but his tone spoke of his annoyance. "Henry should wait a floor below for us. We don't know what we are walking into. Wouldn't want him to get hurt."

"Mom," Henry started to whine. "No, Gold's right we don't know what could happen. So when it's safe I'll come back and we can go for a walk . . . or something"

"As long as you come back, dearie." Emma rolled her eyes in response. She had to make sure Rumplestiltskin got back to Storybroke unfortunately – all part of the deal. Damn that man can be aggravating. He thought of everything.

"Can we go down the fire escape?" Henry asked as the three of them crossed the street. Emma couldn't help but chuckle as she pulled open the door for him and Gold.

She answered as they hit the stairs. "Maybe, kid," the climb took twice as long because of Rumplestiltskin limp yet at the second floor Emma said her goodbyes and warnings to Henry. He settled on the stairs opening the storybook to reread over Rumplestiltskin's story like he had been doing on the trip to Manhattan.

Finally the pair found the door they sought. The door belonged to a woman but the globe lead Gold here for a reason. Maybe the apartment was under his wife's name. Yes, his son would have married, Rumple was sure of it. Who wouldn't want a good, strong, brave, lad as a husband? Bea was not like him – he would find a way to keep his love not lose it.

Gold was so afraid that his son was behind the door that she had Emma knock. He didn't have to courage to do it himself. And that decision was one of the best he ever made because the person who had opened the door looked like the last person he expected.

His Belle.

"Hello, can I help you?" Said a voice that sounded like heaven.

**I know it hasn't changed much but hopefully you guys like! I'd love to hear your thoughts!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So here's a once in a lifetime action – I posted in less than a week. Wow, I really must love this story . . . or really hate my classes this term. Both are a possibility. So I'll get to it! **

"_Hello, can I help you?" Said a voice that sounded like heaven. _

But that voice was not hers, not his Belle's. The women had not her accent. Obviously this woman was American, sounding as if she had never seen the world outside this city. She spoke as if she lived in an area of better wealth then where she was. Intelligence and education seemed to flow from her mouth and her carriage easily. Yet everything about the woman besides her voice screamed that this was Belle. She had her light blue eyes, facial structure particularly the nose, rose colored lips, and curly dark red brown and gold hair.

Emma could not understand what had Rumplestiltskin was staring at. Sure the women as beautiful, breath taking even, but Gold had a true love. This woman looked as if she lived in jeans, leather, and other durable materials kind of like her. Belle was what could be considered a lady. She was always in a dress or skirt of some sort and in heels. Emma had never met a woman that was continually in stilettos or pumps like Belle. Although, Emma wondered if Belle's choice of clothing was influenced by Gold . . . probably.

No, this woman reminded Emma of old movie series she used to love, _The Mummy_**.** She looked a little like Rachel Weisz. The only part of the woman's face that could resemble Belle was the nose and the eye color. Hell, the hair color may not even be the woman's natural color but it did kind of look like Belle's as well. But the face itself was more elongated than heart shaped with farther parted eyes, more defined cheek bones and thicker less rosy lips. Plus, this woman had something about her shrieking don't mess with her instead of the openness seen in Belle. Emma had a feeling that she could take on Gold head on, giving him a run for his money. Although, she didn't know if Rumplestiltskin could perform magic outside of Storybrook yet. She hoped not.

The woman just let the two of them stare at her for a couple minutes awaiting their reaction. She hoped that the man was not going into shock. He looked pretty old and she didn't want to have to call 911 again. It would be the second time today someone thought she was their last loved one. It was tiring to have to break people's hearts daily.

Enough was enough; she had things to do before her son got home. He would be here soon and she didn't want him to see these people. All she needed was him seeing how this man looked at her and she would be answering questions all night. Her frustration evident in her tone as she looked to Emma, "May I help you . . . Mam?"

Her sharp words broke Emma out of her thoughts. Shaking her head she answered, "Yes, um, we're looking for a man that should live here. And you are?"

Before the nameless woman could answer Gold spoke. "Belle?"

"Who's Belle?"

"Are you not her, dearie?" Gold's pain expressed in his words. She had to be Belle. No other reason could be logical. The woman shook her head to say no she wasn't. Rumple's reaction, lighting quick, stung both women. One moment the woman was standing in her doorway the next Gold had her by the neck backed up against the wall by her door. "What kind of magic is this?"

"Gold," Emma yelled, "let her go!"

"No, only a demon of some sort could resemble her." His handle on the woman's neck tightens, yet she does not seem to be nervous or scared. She does not whimper or cry out for her life like he excepts. She was clam with her eyes closed and breathing in deep despite Rumplestiltskin hold on her. Gold shakes her trying to get her to open her eyes, but she has no response. Just as Emma worries that Rumplestiltskin has killed the woman her eyes flash open. Dark purple fire replaced icy blue.

What did Gold and Emma walk into?

The women may have the power to repel Rumple but she didn't. Emma's silent question remained unanswered as the sounds of someone coming up the stairs caused the woman to speck.

"Let me go now," unnerving was the tone she used. "You don't want humans to see you doing magic do you?"

Gold tighten the hold even more. "That's her boy," he nodded to Emma. "He's seen magic before."

"No," She couched. "It's not. That's the other tenet on this floor with the kid she watches. Can't you hear a kid's voice?"

Right on cue someone spoke. "I can't wait to tell Mommy! Do you think she's home yet, Miss Stephanie?" The child's voice carried like only a child's could – loud and high pitched.

Gold let out a sigh throwing the woman back to her door as a blond older woman's head and body came in sight from the stairs. When her feet landed on the top step another littler head of brown hair hands over his ears popped up. When both of his red conversed feet hit the floor the little boy zoomed toward the open door.

"Mommy, what's wrong?" He screamed at the woman while running into her open arms. He looked about five clearly just leaving school with his superman backpack, not that Emma could see much of the boy but his backside. His navy pants and white dress shirt told her that he went to a good school one where someone paid tuition to get into.

"Nothing, clam down," she soothed the boy by rubbing his hair. She pulled his face off her shoulder looking closely at him. Not that it allowed for the two to see his face because the boy's hair was over grown and very curly. "Go undo the alarm and the ringing will turn off. Then go change into your play clothes."

"Mommy, why are there people at our door?"

"Do you truly want to waste a question on them? The answer will not be as exciting as you think."

"Can I ask more than one question about them then?"

"Bee, go do what I ask please. If you don't someone will be very mad if they run all the way here to find out it was a false alarm." She put the boy down looking at the blond woman behind Gold and Emma. "Thank you for getting him today, Steph."

"No prob," The noisy blond with big brown eyes and even bigger ears nodded her to the two strangers. "Um, there might be a problem though."

"What?" The woman asked worried.

"There's a kid just sitting on the stairs looking like he's waiting for someone." Stephanie was at least a caring gossiper if there even was one.

"Okay, I'll go check on him in a few minutes." She looked back at the pair while Stephanie went to go open her door "I'm sorry you have the wrong address."

And she closed the door in their faces before either one could react.

What the hell had just happened?

**Hey everyone! Do you like the story? If you do you have to tell me because I have no way of knowing. On and thank you my new follower! You know how you are! Have a wonderful day!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey Guys sorry about the wait – I didn't know how I wanted to do some things with my chapter that took longer to think through. Hopeful you like it – enough to leave a review? **

"What the fuck," Emma wondered aloud while she waited for Gold to respond. She was just supposed to take him to his kid, get him back to town, and call it good. Now, she has to keep Rumplestiltskin from killing the trickster woman. Who also looked to be magical? Damn, nothing involving fairy tale people could be simple, could it? She toyed with words trying to figure out what to say, making a few small sounds.

_Get your head in the game_ Emma told herself. What did she know? One – this favor just got a hell of a lot more challenging. Two – the woman they need to talk to has some sort of magic around her causing Gold to see Belle for some reason. Three – Her son must have a name or nickname that started with a bee. Gold's son was named Bealfire which may be a connection. Four – the woman had enough authority that people gave her the task of helping lost people. Five – the boy on the stairs needing help was Henry.

Gold, silent, suddenly started pounding on the door, and yelling. "You open up witch! Open this door."

Emma was about to grab him yet the lack of the neighbor opening her door stopped her. She realized that no one else heard the door being beaten. Should I tell him or let him lose his steam first? Waiting's good. Finally after sometime Gold's arm gave out. Feeling no need to mention the elephant in the . . . hall she asked, "Henry?"

"Really, Ms., Swan, you're that dispirit to get back?" He had the gall to glare at her eyebrows and all. Maybe she should use that as her escape? No, I'm not that kind of person. Beside the woman brought a few questions to answer. How could she do magic here? Could her magic match Gold's?

"No, let Henry talk with the woman. He can get her guard down and get info out of her. He's great at in tell. Plus she seems very protective, even, motherly. She'll check on him. " Emma walked to the stars, and started down. "Then we'll get her . . . no hurting though."

"Guess who gets to help?" Emma, sitting on the step above, hugged Henry from behind. She whispered in the boy's ear the plan she created.

The woman took a deep breath as she leaned on her door. She knew that the pair would be back soon and they would not be as easy to send away as the last man trying to find Bealfire. He had ran with the thought that Bealfire was died not caring to make sure her story was true. A plan would be her only hope for them to leave her alone as well.

She followed the sounds of her child to find him in his room, school clothes and toys thrown about, trying to pull down his red tee shirt without much luck. Sitting on his bed calling "Bee, come here," she tried helping him.

"Who were those people, mommy?" His voice was strained while trying to get his head out. "Do they know us?"

His wild hair made putting on clothes difficult. Finally we got his head through. "No, Bee they do not know us, just as I do not know them. I need to go find them though."

"Why?" He looked up at me with his big dark blue eyes filled by curiosity. His face was a mix of her families with touches what she thought his father's. He had her wide spaced eyes, but their shape matched more to his grandfather than hers, although, all three of them had the natural look of innocence in their eyes. His had a big nose that could have only come from his father because everyone's was more defined and small. Her lips were big while his was little compared to his face. The elongated oval face was a trait of her family's but his strong chin had to be all his father's. She couldn't remember the last time she had seen his father's face. The two were estranged and he was married to a woman that would not let him acknowledge the child as his. Thanking god no one of importance wanted anything to do with her baby she now had to sure no one would mess with him.

"So I can tell them to leave us alone. I need to lock you in the house with Miss Stephanie. Do you remember how to unlock the door?" The boy nodded. "Good, I may be gone for a while and you will have to let in our dinner guest. Okay?" He accepted, "Let's lock the door."

She picked him up and carried him to the door where he placed his left hand in the middle fingers up then twisting his wrist to the right. Next he drew on the door above where his hand had been with his index finger. Under his path bright glitter blue followed as he made a connecting cross. The door shimmered white light as it become transparent. Bee grabbed where the door handle should have been then pulled open. On the outside the door looked the same but to the boy or any of his family they would be able to see the true form of whatever was on the other side with the choice of letting them in or not.

Henry had a feeling that the plan wouldn't work. Meeting his mother and Rumplestiltskin outside the front of the building seemed fool proof, but if they had to draw the woman out of her house something must be going on with her. He didn't have much time to come up with ideas before he heard someone behind him. He looked up to see the women his mother had described: brown wild curly hair, pretty, with blue eyes and in jeans and black leather boots.

"So kid, I have to tell you. I have that same exact book and I know that tales in it are true."

Henry and the women were about a half a block to the right before Emma spotted them. "Shit," she yelled as she took off after them leaving Gold behind. She saw them turn left at the corner. Thankfully when she got there herself they pair hadn't left the sidewalk, but now the woman had Henry running towards Central Park two blocks up.

When Emma reached the light across the park she spotted Henry standing in a triangular medium under a tree. "Are you okay?" She called out when she was close enough.

Henry nodded with a smile on his face. "Lena says for you to meet her by a blockhouse with a flag pole past these trees." He points to the left, "The walking path over there will take you to her."

"Lena?" The mother asked as she reached her son pulling him in a tight hug.

"Yeah, that's her name. She seems nice." Emma pulled away from him. "She left you in the middle of the street, Henry."

"That's to distract Mr. Gold. I came up with it. She wants to talk with you without him around. I don't think she likes him very much. You should go." Emma raised her eyebrows at him. "I have to wait for Rumplestiltskin. It's part of the plan to keep us alive."

She took a deep breath as she walked away, "Fine, don't take too long with Gold though."

"Promise," He called out to her. The path was paved through tall over grown trees and green shrub. Emma had to be walking for ten minutes before she saw another person. It was an older man dressed in workout clothes jogging past her at a fast pace that she looked back to she walked father in the sounds of urban living lessened to the point only the light breeze and the birds could be heard. Out of the corner of her eye gray stone caught her attention. The stones belong to a boxlike building that looked centuries old with a flag pole on top of it on a little hill. When Emma got to the building she had to look around. The woman may not have been there that would not stop Emma from taking in the beauty of her surroundings. To her right she looked down on a waterfall. Father off she could see a stone bridge over the waterfalls path. If she wasn't worried about what was going on she would find the park enchanting.

"Miss Swan," the woman, Lena, called behind her.

"You said you wanted to talk, so talk."

"What will it take for Mr. Gold and yourself to leave and not come back?"

"Answering a few questions. The first of which being: why did you leave my son in the middle of the street?"

"Without any infor-" Her words stopped short. "I didn't leave Henry in the middle of the street." The woman's tone and face was surprised. She turned her head sideways to the left, "I left him on the sidewalk in front the park by the light . . . he must have moved to the medium to make sure Gold saw him. Smart kid. Sowill you leave without any information."

Emma knew "Unlikely. We don't even know if you're tied to who we're for."

"How did you find my apartment? What magic was it?"

"It's called knowing how to find people that do not want to be find."

"You may be talented," Her eyebrows drew upwards in questioning. "But you needed magic to know to start in New York. I'm going to guess Gold had something to do with that."

"You wanted to know if you're on the right track. I'm willing to bet he used a magic globe it pin point where in the world to start. And the only way to be lead to my house has something to do with that."

"Let me guess: you're his family or something?"

She raised her eyebrows at Emma as if to answer 'I don't know', "Does not matter I'm not going to give out any more answers, but I'll make you a deal. First one to the ground does what the other wants, meaning if it's you, you have to leave and not come back, if it's me I have to answer your questions."

She held out her hand, "Deal?" Quickly going over her options since Gold was no were in sight Emma took her hand, "Deal."

"It has been struck. Sorry," Lena said sheepishly showing slight easygoingness in her blue eyes. "It's tradition."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys hopefully everyone is doing well and is excited about Manhattan. I know I am. So I kind of wished I had started this story about two weeks so then I could have had the previews from this week to think about, but I know that I will not follow the plot line that well anyway. So if Neal is really Bea in OUAT he will not be here, but I have tied him to Bealfire and gold in what I think will be interesting. But not as Neal focused as the show seems to take on.**

The pair of women began to size up and circling each other. The trees of the park, the unleveled ground beneath their feet, and the sounds of life around them faded as the focused on their opponent. Emma knew that the fight would be a close one. She may have many years of skill protecting her, but the woman looked to be more motivated to win. For the first time Emma really looked past the woman's face to the rest of her. She could not be very tall since she barely came past Emma's shoulders in those heeled boots. Although she lacked height her body was fit and toned with a gracefulness only expressed by someone who was a dancer. But Emma had the advantage of being bigger and knowing how to fight well.

Emma looked for the best way to get the woman to the floor without causing much harm to her taking her stance. She could try to grab her arm and put her in a drop lock. No, that didn't work – she had just grabbed the arm when Lena twisted free. Emma tried to grab her again with no success. Lena just let her come at her with perfect dodges looking like she could do this all day. Emma didn't have all day; she didn't have five minutes knowing Gold. That look told Emma that if she wanted to get this over with she was going to have to hurt her. So she threw a punch at Lena.

Just as Emma's punch was about to soar past Lena's face a sound brought her face right where Emma needed it. Who or what the person said didn't matter to Emma she was just thankful to have her distracted. She went in to grab an arm as the woman swayed off balance when the voice spoke again. "Stop, now."

The voice had an unspoken ring of command to it, enough command to cause Emma to back off grabbing Lena and look over. The voice belonged to an old man dressed in pressed beige pants and navy blue polo shirt with brown loafers. His dress choices matched the style behind how he carried himself – formal, confident, and powerful. The strong lines of his wrinkled face gave away a defined chin, brow line, and nose.

"Ow, ow dammit! Da ..." Lena cried to the man walking to her while pressing her hand to her eye. Her pain showed through her facial expressions and high tone. "What are you doing here? Ow! How did you even know I was here?"

Reaching her he took her head in his hands with his fingers lightly touching the redden area creating white spots in his wake. "I am sorry, love. I should have waited for a better opening. "

"Yes, you should have. I feel like a horse threw me into a tree face first." She tugged her face back a tad, "That is causing more pain, not helping me . . . What are you doing here anyway?"

"Demetrius," he continued to push into the woman's skin not caring if it hurt or not. Although, when she would winch he would along with her. Just as Lena started to interrupt he hushed her, "He gave me a call."

He lovingly kissed her uninjured check while Lena tried to speck again. "Stop it, love. You brought this woman out here, why?"

They both looked to Emma: his gaze curious, her gaze cautious. "She is on a quest to find him and I wanted to talk with her alone."

"But the apartment . . ."

"She is not alone . . . someone with her?"

"Who is with her?"

"She's referring to me, dearie." Rumplestiltskin stepped out behind a tree with a wicked smile on his face and anger in his eyes aimed on Lena. Both the woman and man stared dumbly at him before reacting. The man pulled Lena so to shield her, but she would not comply with his wishes. Pulling free Lena stood with the old man behind her. "No, it's me he's after."

"That's right, and," Gold lumping the distance between them. He sneered, "My son ran from me and dropped a card with your phone number on it. So you must know where he is. I've been looking for him for years. You're going to take me to my son . . . now."

"Oh really?" She laughed an unpleasant noise sending cold shivers down Emma's spine. "What allows for you to have that delusion? You don't have any magic here and we're on public property. So betting me with your cane is out of the question. Not that I couldn't stop you . . . I have no good reason to help you."

The older man pulled on her arm to face him. "Lena, it is not for you to decide his fate," he said calmly.

"But I don't trust him . . . . What if he has not changed?"

"It still Bealfire's choice." He took her unbruised chin with his hand. "You know impressions can be wrong, love."

She took a deep breath while still looking in the man's eyes. "Fine, I will let him decide, but we do this my way with me knowing everyone's safe."

"I'm sure he will be fine with that. He trusts your judgment completely."

She turned look at Gold, "I will take you to Bealfire only if you do what I say no questions asked along with Miss Swan and Henry," Emma had been watching the exchange so carefully that worrying about Henry had slipped her mind.

"Where's Henry?" She asked panicked looking over to him.

Lena shifted to the right and pointed to a hundred year oak about a thirty meters away. "He's right there. Henry," She called over and Henry popped his head out waving. Emma's sigh of relief could be heard in the background. Lena looked back to Rumplestiltskin, "As I was saying, the two of them have to company you and I will only take you if he wants to see you. If he does, I promise no harm will come to any of you, and you will able to leave after you are reunited. If for some reason he does not want to you will not go looking for him again. Although, I will make sure he knows how to find you." She shrugged, "It's possible he may want to find you later on his own terms . . . do we have a deal?"

Rumplestiltskin looked over to Emma in the motion of shaking her head, "Gold, I'm not going with you."

"Please," an expression of hopelessness on his face that tore at Emma's heart. It was I look she once felt in herself the moment she thought she lost Henry for good. "I will repay you somehow."

"Until I feel like we're even" Emma may have a heart and be a good person, but she knew not to forget who she was talking to. "Even if we don't end up seeing your son." Emma asked. Rumple looked back to Lena longing in his eyes, "Yes."

"We have a deal." Emma held out her hand for Gold to shake. He took it then reached over to Lena. "We have a deal, little devil child."

"Little?" Lena laughed her sweet voice back to a more appropriate tone as she took Gold's hand, "I'm twenty-three, thank you very much."

But Rumplestiltskin didn't care what she had said. He cared more about what happened as her skin touched his. No, it was not a sexual response like he would expect from his Belle. The moment her hand handled his a surge of magic flooded his veins flashing bright images into his mind. Most were scenes he remembered from his short time in the ogre wars. He saw the seer, and the children with stiches all over their faces under the blankets. He quickly saw Bealfire as a baby with his mother, other around the time when the child last saw his mother, and when he was pulled into this world. New images came popping: Miss Swan smiling at a young man he had never seen before, a blurry couple in formal wear enamored with each other, this woman standing next to him arms crossed over her chest looking angry. When the flickers stopped Rumple found himself looking at the sky. His thoughts were all jumbled up but he realized both Miss Swan and the woman were looking over him. The woman had his wrist in her hand and looked to be counting silently.

"I'm sorry; I've never done that before. I didn't know I could knock someone out by touching them. " She laughed not as happy as before. "Your pulse is fine, I didn't burn you and you didn't even fall. So there's no chance of a concussion. You may fell sore later though. Emma help me with getting him up please. Here," she held out her hand then rethinking her choice she grabbed his sleeve.

"No, I'm just very adept at knowing things. Besides I know a seer that this happened all the time to."

"And what will my son said when he finds out you attacked me."

Her giggling was wearing on Gold's nerves, "Ask me if I'm okay and tell me to get checked out by Mrs. Hoffer. He may have you go with me to make sure you're fine too." Lena raised her eyebrows at him, "He won't hurt me if that's what you're thinking . . . tonight the three of you will return to my apartment at ten o'clock. If I'm there Bealfire has decided not to see you." She looked over to the old man, "If he is there then he will take you where you need to go. Have your bags packed: if you're meeting him it will take more than one night to get through his story, or if not you three will be leaving New York anyway.

Her glaze burned as she spoke directly to Gold, "If he has one hair out of place when I see him again you will regret it for the rest of your life, Rumplestiltskin."

**Well I can't wait until next time! Hopefully everyone likes it. I'd love to hear someone thoughts. Even it is: I like it. **


	5. Chapter 5

Hi guys just checking in with some news!

So I really don't have time to update until spring break but I wanted to thank everyone for reading and for the few that have seen my new story A fairy I wanted to let you know what was happening. A fairy was a fun little idea of what would happen if Tinkerbell was there after the family reveal in 2.14. I got a few responses to that decided to try to combine the stories together in some ways. But all the characters from Who are you will be there along with now Tinkerbell, but A fairy will stay a one shot with that tinkerbell. Thanks guys – if you have questions just ask!


	6. Chapter 6

**Hi everyone, hope your spring break is going well. Enjoy!**

The sun was bright in the afternoon as it glared through the trees. Sounds of life - the birds, the flowing water from falls, the wind, and the people around – came rushing back. The reason for being in nature ended as the tasks of being involved with Bealfire turned a new page. Lena looked away from Rumple over to the well-dressed old man.

"Come on, I need to find him." The pair started to walk off, and then she stopped face hard. "Oh, I want my card back and Bealfire's jacket."

"If you haven't spoken to him then . . ." Rumple spoke before Lena interrupted him.

"He doesn't know my number by heart. Only ever carries the card, normally in his jacket pocket, but if you find it than he must have forgot it for some reason. And since you had his card that's had to be why he called him instead of me. And I'm betting he called you collect too because his phone is off. "

"You already figured that out Lena" the man said with a trying voice while he walked over to the path "They can bring it tonight. Love," the word came out a little harsh. "You need to get Bee ready . . ."

She followed with a confidence around her saying she was above pain of her resent injury, "And ask Baelfire if he wants this . . ." she stopped again turning back, "One more thing." Her voice kind, "Take the kid around while you wait. He deserves to see Times Square and have a frozen hot chocolate after being such a great helper." She winked at Henry.

_Earlier that day_

Emma almost had Gold's son. Her quick thinking to tickle him in the ally was just a second too late. She had been able to grab the collar of his jacket though. They struggled and he ended out splitting out of the jacket. He ran looking back at his jacket but Emma could not see a face. From what she made out the man was about six feet, one-eighty, defined big nose, short brown and dark eyes. For a moment Emma thought she may know the man, yet who could it be?

Now came the hard part of braking a deal with Gold.

Gold not taking it well put it mildly. He broke in to the son's apartment despite Emma's words of wisdom about breaking the law just to look for clues on what to do next. He moved in a frenzy faster than both Henry and Emma had ever seen him. Emma was sure he would miss something important by not carefully looking for things so she took it upon herself to look as well.

As she started to look something caught the corner of her. On the window hung a dream-catcher, a dream-catcher she found with Neal in a hotel room so many years ago. Before Emma could think she had the object in her hand. Was this Neal's home or could someone else that had a big nose and dark hair like his live here? It was too much of a coincident for this object to be here and not be Neal's. No, that means Gold's Henry's grandfather.

As Emma was slowly going through her realization Rumple noticed her stopping clenching the dream-catcher "What is it?"

"Nothing. Sorry, I was daydreaming. It reminded me of a childhood memory." She quickly put it back.

"Really, what memory?" He asked just as fast.

"None of your business." Her words sharp as a knife.

"Your hiding something from me, dearie." His tone had an eerily calm to it that his face mimicked.

"It has nothing to do with you or anyone you know." Her voice trying to keep Rumple at ease

"You're lying, tell me." He began quiet end in a scream.

"Henry," Emma called out, "Go wait in the -"

"Mom," Henry walked up to her. Pulling his hand out from behind him with a white 5" by 3" note card he said, "I think I found something."

Emma took the card from him turning it over to find nothing. "Henry the card is blank."

He shrugged, "Now it is, it wasn't a minute ago." He grabbed the card back to see for himself.

"See, look! It's back!"

On the side not facing Emma black wording appeared as if it belonged on the card. _Nettie - __212-778-2904. Don't forget me, B!_

Emma turned the card over again and still found nothing. Shanking it off, she handed the card back. "Henry, take the card and write down what you see. . . Well, there's your next clue. Now all we have to do is find a computer and a credit card."

"Why the credit card?"

"To run a background check on the number. It takes about twenty bucks."

_Later that day _

Before Emma could knock on the door it opens to see a pair of brown loafers. Her eyes and her head quickly turn up to his sharp face. His eyes drew her in, she barely caught herself staring. They were a handsome golden brown that Emma got lost in. Why did she feel she remembered this feeling happening before? She had never looked the man in the eye. The man was still dressed in the beige pants now wrinkled with the brown loafers. Whether he wore the polo or not was hidden by a black wool tailored coat. Whoever this man was he come from money and power.

"Hello, Miss Swan," He put out his hand to shake with her taking it, "Are all of you ready to go?"

"We are and we still have a cab, Mr. . . ."

"You can call me Benjamin." He closed the door behind him with a subtle blue glow going off as it closed. He pulled up his coat to look at his watch a piece that looked remarkably like the one Emma had been wearing when she was caught by the police. "You're early, good. We have a train to catch."

**So hopefully you guys enjoy the next little part of the story. So if anyone's also read A fairy you may have made the connection to it. But I want you to know the Nettie in this story won't look the same as the other. Also I wondered if any of you thought it would be funny to write the meeting seen in 2x14 having Neal and Emma still together and lying to everyone about it including Henry. I thought it might it funny. **


	7. Chapter 7

**AN: I know it's been awhile. I have not forgotten the story. It's been really hectic with school and stuff. The nice thing is I've been writing here and there. **

"I've never been on a train before." Henry said with an eager voice laced with much more than just excitement. The boy was practically jumping out of his bucket seat in between Gold and Emma.

"Kid, you were on a plane this morning. Is the train really more exciting?" Emma asked.

"Well, it's not as exciting as it could be, Henry." Benjamin used a voice that tried to calm Henry down a bit.

"What would make this more exciting? I've been on a plane. Now a train – what's next? A ship?"

"Sorry, son, I could not tell you what lays in the future." He said as he paced while waiting to board the NJ transit at Penn Station. They were in sight of the elevator between track seven and eight. This part of the train station had been recently redone with glossy clean, cream and tan patterned granite with golden fixtures. More importantly the surrounding allowed for Gold to get a better look at Benjamin.

The man had about twenty physical years on Gold. His age was at least late sixties of not early seventies. The winkles around his brown eyes gave of that fact, although, he had not gotten a good look into Benjamin's eyes. He also had a confidence that Rumpel could admire, although, his wardrobe could account for that. He had on a black Ralph Lauren wool coat, Armani beige pants and chocolate colored Salvatore Ferragamo loafers. But what truly showed the man's right to be confident was the white gold and navy Rolex with diamonds set in on his left wrist. The watch was the top of their Submariner line and had a thirty thousand dollar price tag. Needless to say the man had money and in this world power always came with it.

Rumpelstiltskin had been more focused on the little girl in the park then him which was understandable. She had knocked him on his ass with a simple touch of her hand whether she had meant to or not. Surprise did cover her face when that happened. But that could have been an act. This world was to be without magic but she seemed to radiate magic in her tiny body and the man did not seem the least surprised at her doing it naturally. How did Baelfire become close with a magical person in this world when he did not want a father who did magic?

"So you know about magic." Henry's voice made certain his words were not a question but a statement. "Can you do it?"

"No," Ben's tone sharped as he went to get a closer look at one of the flatscreens flashing travel times, "Thankfully I've never been cursed with that ability."

"Why do you see it as a curse?"

"I've seen what happens to people when black magic is involved." Rumpel looked over to him with surprise and rising eyebrows. The man's answer sprang new questions to contemplate. Where could this man have seen black magic in a world without magic – if he seen it in this world at all? Did he know ways to travel between worlds that he was without? Is there another way to this world without a portal? And why was he okay with others preforming magic when he saw it as a terrible thing?

"So you know Baelfire's story?"

"Yes, I do and many others." He laughed, "Actually the only one who knows his story better is Lena."

"And Lena is?"

"Baelfire's best friend, and," Looking a back at Henry. "That is all I will tell you about her. Now, let me ask you a question. How much frozen hot chocolate did you have this afternoon?"

Henry, stunned by the question, slowly asked. "How do you know I had a frozen hot chocolate?"

"You remind me of my grandchildren on sugar highs." Emma flat out laughed at his words and even Gold snickered. Ben stopped at the end of the hall. "Plus, I remember Lena saying something about you earning one for helping her. I need to check on Baelfire's ticket. Will you Emma accompany me? The two of you should starting heading over to track three. " He was looking at Gold as he said his last sentence.

The pair had gone about twenty feet away from Gold's and Henry's retreating forms, dodging people left and right, before Emma spoke asking him, "What did you want to talk to me about?"

"Who said I wanted to talk with you?" She raised a brown eyebrow up at him and quickly replies. "Normally I don't tell adults this but I have a superpower. I can tell when people are lying."

He laughed heartily from his belly, "It's no wonder why Lena already likes you . . . I hope you don't mind me asking Emma, but I am very intrigued. How did you get involved with Rumpelstiltskin." His pace as well as his words slowed as he spoke.

"I traded a favor." Emma shrugged.

"Everyone trades a favor, but what did you get out of it?"

"For a mother to keep her child."

He stopped walking to look at her to really look at her. What made this woman give up what she had for someone else Benjamin wanted to know. "Why would you do that?"

"I . . . I did it because I gave up my son when he was born and have regretted it since."

He raised his bushy eyebrows at her. "But he's with you now?" Curiosity filled his face.

"It's a long story." She sighed. Yeah a long, complicated, slightly ridiculous, story.

"You will have to tell it some time." He laughed again as he started walking to the ticket booth. "I love long complicated stories."

"I didn't say it was complicated. Why did you want to know my story? It's not the happiest of stories."

"For many different reasons – to find out what type of person you are."

"And that's important because?"

He shrugged, "It's always important." The movement irritates her for some reason.

"So you've taken the train before?" Henry asked when the four of them were settled on the bottom level of the train in seats facing each other with a table between them and a small dull lamp over them.

"Many times, my wife and I adored traveling by train. She always said the train held an incomparable majesty to any other forms of travel. If you don't have to hurry to your destination the train is always a delightful adventure." He laughed lightly, "Personally, I think she was afraid to fly more than necessary."

"She's not afraid anymore?" Henry's question stopped Emma from pulling out a magazine to interject Ben before he could answer, "Henry, I don't think he should answer that."

"No, it is alright," He had turned his face away, but turned it back to Henry as he spoke. "I can talk about it. My wife is not afraid anymore because she died about a year and half ago . . . from cancer. But I am a very fortunate man. I had almost fifty five wonderful years with her. Fifty of those years we had been married - a man could not ask for more than spending most of his life with the other half of his heart."

"So it was true love?"

He took a deep breath, "We did not need to have our love seen through magic to know it was one of the truest purest forms of it. The women in her family have a knack for finding their true love." He rolled his eyes, "Her father once told me that they have a 'sense' for when they are most needed in their future love's life because they have a habit of showing up at the last possible moment and effortlessly saving his life." It felt like he was going to go on but he stopped. ". . . Maybe one day I will tell you the story behind meeting her . . . But you should try to see the stars out the window. The view of the stars is abundant by train. "

**Hopefully I can get up more in the next few days or in the next week. Maybe you all would enjoy it!**


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N Hello all are you ready for the next piece?**

Ben did not say a word for the rest of the ride and Emma was very thankful Henry did not ask another question. No one spoke a word until the train pulled into the Trenton train station in New Jersey which was baby size compared to Penn station with five train tracks and an oddly shaped three story building serving as the station. A bow attached to a rectangle in the center of the line describes it perfectly. The group walked out into the night through the glass front doors of the all glass entrance. Ben stopped at bus stop sidewalk across from the pickup line and started looking around. He walked over to a concert medium to get a better look at the street in the dark with Henry following.

"She's not here. Damn that girl." Ben hastily whipped out his phone, "Lena, where the hell are you? . . . What do you mean you left a car here? I thought we were taking two cars, love. . . . Just because you wanted to drive your Hummer? Where's the car?"

Emma toned him out after hearing him say Lena. Turning her attention to Gold she stopped him from trailing after Ben and Henry. "Are you sure about this? I get the feeling they're lying to us."

Gold didn't seem surprised at her thoughts. "Of course they're lying to us Miss Swan, but they know Baelfire."

"How do you truly know that?" Her face was one of disbelief.

"Because the girl was willing to do whatever needed to get us away. She cares about Bae enough to invite us into her home with her child solely because he wanted and smart enough to take others as witnesses."

"What if it's a trap to get you? Obviously, things between you and him didn't end well and if she's willing to do anything for the people she loves. If you . . . if you choose to walk away here you won't own me anything."

"Miss Swan," He had an ah to his voice. "I believe she likes your son well enough not to hurt him. Killing someone in front of him would hurt him."

She raised her eye brows "Not if she kills him too."

"That girl is not capable of killing a child, much less a child she seems to care for."

"I hope you're right." So did he.

Ben continued walking from the medium to an open parking lot next to an old red brick building. "Oh, okay I found it." He walked over to a small white SUV and decked down to search the under carriage over the driver side tire. "Yes, the door opened. We should be to there soon. Bye love."

"Where are we going?" Henry asked. `  
"To meet Lena and switch cars."

Emma and Rumpelstiltskin caught up to the two of them. "Will we see Baelfire then?" Henry asked before Mr. Gold could get out a peep.

"No, He wants to find his out way of there. He should get to town tomorrow afternoon."

"And where is the town we are going too?" The boy was still on a roll with the rapid firing squad of questions even after sitting quietly for an hour and a half on a midnight train.

"If I tell you I would have to kill you." He said with a smart ass smirk.

"Really?" The boy was not the only one with a shocked look on his face.

"No," the man laughed opening the driver backseat door for henry . "However, Lena may kill me. And as I have no inclination to die at her hands, tonight or any other night, I shall reframe from telling you."

The ride had lasted longer than what Benjamin had expected but he was having a hard time finding the sign he need. Out where most homes had miles between with vast trees and greengage hiding everything made it just the tiniest bit hard to find. When Benjamin found it, a half rusted street sign to a street that did not really exist, he turned on to a hidden driveway seeing a spot of white showing up off to the left side more than a mile down. As the car got closer the spot took shape. Lena stood on the shoulder of the road wearing a white coat and light blue faded almost white jeans and short black spiked boots. She was holding to her chest what must have been Bee who was also in white with a hood covering up his wild dark hair.

"You found us," she said relief filled her voice. "I was getting worried I would have to go look for you."

"No, I just had a hard time remembering where the street is."

She giggled, "Maybe I should make you drive here more often. Is everyone still alive back there?" Her energy level felt to everyone else like it must be the morning after goodnight's sleep. That punch must be still giving her an endorphin rush. But Emma looked at her face to find no mark, or redness, or bolting. She guessed the woman was covering to wound up somehow with either magic or a really well done make-up job. It may have been make-up because she thought the girl looked younger and had less color on her checks from when she first saw her. She really did look like a teenage if not pre-teen girl holding her little brother not her son.

"What? Did you except us to be died?" Rumpel growled at Lena.

"No, just you." Her head shook as answered sweetly smiling at him.

"Lena!" Ben scolded the girl.

Her resulting laughter caused Bee to stir in her arms triggering him look for his mommy. "Well, hello love," Lena pulled off his hood and rubbed the back of his head as he looked up at her. "Park in the third

garage and if anyone has to answer nature's call there's a bathroom by the other side of the door."

Lena walked by Benjamin's window continuing to speak to him as he drove down the lane. "Did you pay for his ticket?"

"Yes, it's at will call, love," She shook her head as she rolled her eyes as she asked, "Did he tell you why he wanted to leave at five in morning?"

"Just wanted to get it over with?" He shrugged. "Maybe he thought being stuck in town would be easier than staying in New York where it's all too easy to hop on a plane."

She shrugged at his reply. "A possibility. But he knows that I," she shook her head. ". . . I need my laptop. I'll be back."

Ben followed the road as it curved left bringing light to a house. The darkness covered most of the details of the home, but it looked to be two to three stories high with lots of windows and brick in a light coffee color. She was walking into an open three door garage when Ben's voice stopped her.

"Lena, are you getting it as well?" He called out and she nodded in response.

The garage was very clean, organized, and stocked with tools for everything anyone would need. Gold swore he saw a few swords with a space and tools set up to make more. The garage held one other car if a person could call it that. It looked more like a hot pink monster to him. All he could see was the squared back with its spare tire colored in what he considered a Barbie pink nightmare.

Ben parked next to the pink beast, got out and opened the back hatch to both cars to unload the bags. Emma and Henry got out as well heading to the door Lena went through. Rumpel took his time exiting the SUV taking a better look at the objects around. Power tools, sports equipment, hunting guns, blacksmith gear, and shelves of bottles and clear boxes filled with potion ingredients lined the walls. Gold was surprised medical items were not included with the mass amount of articles.

Lena followed Henry and Emma out of the house with black laptop bag. She put down the boy in front of the old man then turned her attend to Gold. She pulled out a long metal flask from the laptop's pocket and a small cup from her coat. The sight stopped him short. He had not truly been worried about his safety when he agreed to this but it may have been too late. Maybe Miss Swan had been right and now not only him but people, if not Henry, he cared for were in trouble.

Holding out the flask and white Dixie cup to him she said, "You can take the first drink."

"Not likely, dearie." Rumpel sneered at her.

"Fine, I'll just get you a train ticket back to Maine then." She gave him a dirty look back.

"Hold it," Ben stepped between her and Rumpelstiltskin holding up his hand. "Wait, who mix it, love?"

"Who do you think mixed it?" Her tone was sarcastic as she asked what appeared to be a rhetorical question. "Why do you care anyway? If I accidently kill him what would Baelfire do to me?" She rolled her eyes. "Nothing."

"That's not the point," He rolled his eyes, "Bee, who mixed it?"

"Papa," the little boy's voice was laced with weariness. He yawned into his little hand before continuing,

"Why'd you ask? It's my job to mix it."

"It's safe. You can take it." Yes, because Rumpel trusted the old man more than the girl.

"Gees, thanks Ben," he went to interrupt her but she continued a bit faster. "So what if I can never get the recipe right."

Ben fake coughed resulting in a glare from her, "Fine! I can't cook or brew anything to save my life. Something always goes wrong between the book and the table. But," Lena smiled down at her son while wiggling his nose with her finger, "Bee is marvelous at putting together any sort of recipe. Your use of your ability is remarkable and now you are going to take the first drink because of it."

"What?" Emma blurted out. Gold may not have reacted with words like Emma but the same thought cleared his mind. But he quickly understood why Lena would have the little boy take it first without her explanation and the thought made him breathe a little easier. One thing he knew of Lena as of then was that she would do anything in her power to protect the people she cared about. Her body language reminded him of a lioness willing to do anything to protect her cub. She would not risk her son to hurt anyone.

"If I did not trust both myself and Bee's ability in our craft then I wouldn't allow for him to take at all. But I trust that he is capable of correctly brewing a sleeping draft that will work the way it's supposed to. So that you realized I have complete faith in him he has to take the spell first. Good thing it's the cherry favor, huh, Bee?"

Bee nodded as he took the cup from her hand, filled it half way and drank the spell.

"Now pour some for Emma and then Mr. Gold." Bee did what he was asked, pouring a full cup instead of half, handing it to Emma.

She took it and put it up to her mouth but did not drink it. "How come he got less?"

"Because he is less than half of both your body weights. The spell works like cold medication – you give a child less than you give an adult." Her tone asked have you not given your child medicine before. Without answering Emma took the spell like a shot making a tequila face. Bee filled the cup for Gold who took it without a fuss after watching Emma for a few moments. Bee stopped when he got to Henry.

"Mommy what do you want me do with him?"

"I'll get him, Bee. Go get buckled into your car seat. Henry," Taking the cup and flask she looked the ten year old in the eye "Do you like playing video games?"

"Duh," he nodded.

She giggled at him, "Good, I need you to do something for me. I don't want to give you a full cup. You will be asleep way too long. So can I trust that when you wake up you'll get my iPad, and play whatever game you want?"

He nodded again and smiled, "Sure!"

"Thanks bubby, oh and tell me when you're up." She poured him a tab bit more than half a cup and watched him drink it down squirming at his last gulp. "I know it's not the tastiest drink ever. Um, there's a seat belt in the back if you'd like to lie down. I'll help you with it in a minute. The two of you might want to get in the Hummer as well. The spell first drops your energy level then puts you to sleep."

"You've done this to others before." Rumpelstiltskin accused as he started walking to her pink monster.

"Yes," she nodded unfazed by his actuation. "And have experienced it myself many a times. It makes traveling home easier."

**Hopefully you liked it! Love you guys!**


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N here's the next piece, Yay!**

Rumpelstiltskin wondered if dreaming of odd places was a side effect from the sleeping draft Lena had given to him and the Charmings. He would have to see if Miss Swan is out of sorts in the morning. As for now he would let the dream run its course. He was in a long hallway with deep red carpet, dark wood paneling on the bottom half of the walls with a red wall paper littered with gold flowers, and a gold colored ceiling. Matching wood doors and frames with unclear painting of objects as well as golden light figures capable of holding either candles or bulbs lined the walls. The room was elegant and luxurious environment but Rumple worried about its importance to him.

"Come on, my beauty," a man said from behind him. He turned around to find no one there. Rumpelstiltskin shook his head a few times back and forth figuring the dream decided to get on with whatever was going to happen. When he turned back he found a masked young couple in formal wear by the wall next to him. The young man was tall and proud looking in a black tux with a white face mask covering all of his upper face. He was as one might say the yin to the young lady's yang. She had on a jeweled black mask fanned in matching feathers with an equally ornate white ball gown and long white satin gloves. The lad ran his gloved hands from the girl's bare shoulders to her hands crossed together in a suggestive manner.

"Hello," he called out to the pair. Gold was not in the mood to watch young lovers' heated moments alone. Yet the pair paid him no mind. The lad took the girl's chin in his hand and made her look at him.

"You are mine. I don't care what others say. I don't care what he says. Do you understand?" Rumpel could not see the girl's reaction; her mask hid it. Instantly he disliked the boy for mistreating such a pretty little thing. If he ever met him in real life he would at least take his cane to the boy's stomach. "Of course you do my beauty. You are mine as I am yours."

The lad pulled of her mask making his way to kiss her but she turned her head toward him before the lad reached her. The face he saw scared him half to death. He hoped it was just a nightmare and not a vision of the future or he would have to kill whoever that boy was for touching his and his true love's daughter.

Rumpel was jolted up, in reaction to realizing the girl's identity, breathing heavy with his hand on his heart tearing at Bae's shawl. The available light conveyed the sun was starting to rise not that he could see it through the room's open blinds and thick curtains.

The room itself looked like it had not been lived in for years. The girl and her smart mouth had claimed it to be Bae's room when he lived here last night as she put the three of them in rooms after the drive from New Jersey. Not that he truly knew where he was anyway. The room for the most part was what he expected with filled book shelves, dressers, a couple of chairs, knick knacks, and a desk. What was more than he imagined was the four post queen sized bed with its expensive Egyptian cotton bedding. Although, the condition of everything else in the room seems to be just as opulent as the bed from the classic books that appeared to be first editions to the type of wood used in the furnishing to the matching pair of tiffany lamps on the bedside tables.

How in the world had Baelfire weaseled his way into a home like this one? Who would believe a fourteen year old stayed in this room anyway? The room lacked the influence of youth. Although, he didn't actual know how old Baelfire was when he stopped living in the house.

Many things about Bealfire never made sense to him. His endless sense of bravery, how kindness was his second nature, and his selflessness were not traits from him or his mother. But those traits made him the better man; a man a son would want as a father not the coward who choose himself over the one's he loved. Worrying about Bae and his reactions to him right then had no point. Did he have a plan? Of course he did, yet Rumpel knew plans have a way of failing when any detail was left up to chance. So he would let things fall where ever they would and beg for forgiveness just like the bug had said all those months ago when he thought the puppet was Bae.

Gold got out of bed to get ready for the day since sleep was lost on him. He happened to come by a plastic chair that allowed for him to shower using only one hand and keep his balance. When his was done getting dressed in a black suit a small knock on the jolted him from his wayward thoughts.

Rumpelstiltskin stopped to take a deep breath. This could be his moment. All these centuries of planning leading were all up to actually seeing him again. Torn between throwing up and letting the dark one jump with joy and giggles Rumpel decided to channel Mr. Gold's calm and collectiveness and open the door.

But no one was there. He let out the air in his lung slumping his head and upper body. His eyes were met by a pair of big dark blue eyes. The little boy belonging to the hellion was standing there with his tiny hand ready to knock again. "Yes . . . um."

_What was his name? _"You can call me Bee. Everyone else does."

"But that is not your name. What is your real name?" He smirked at the child.

The boy blushed like he was ashamed or embarrassed, "Mommy said I can't tell you my name. I'll get in trouble."

"What if I guess it?" he raised his eye brows to the boy questioning his actions, "Is your name Benjamin . . . or Baelfire? Maybe like your father's name."

"Baelfire's not my daddy. I don't know who my daddy is and my first name does not start with a bee. Bee's part of mommy's nickname for me." The child's tone and body language matched that of his mother's when she thought she was in control. It was getting on Gold's nerves. His personality seems to be strongly influenced by her smart alack ways.

"Which is?"

"Not telling." Why did he feel that the child had told him na na boo boo? Was his name real that important? Rumpel had no issues if the child was or was not named after his son. If the child was his grandson then he would have a problem, but no with him; the boy's mother on the other hand. Gold prayed she would never be his daughter-in-law.

He took a big breath in, "What did you need then, son?"

"I forgot something in there last time I was here. Can I get it, please?"

He nodded as he let the boy pass through the door. He walked over to the wall that sat between the desk and a full wall book shelf. Then he pulled out the chair from the desk and got on the seat to put his hand on the wall. Before Rumple could ask the boy anything object started flashing into the room surrounded by a blue force field. Old posters of music groups and a few half-dressed blonds littered the walls along with photographs of places and people that Rumple did not have time to recognize. The book shelves were filled with different newer books and now movies both DVD's and VHS's, music and action figures. On the desk was a plastic ball half red and white, more photos in frames, baseball cards in cases. One photos stopped Rumpel short. It was a photo of his Bae taken within a year from when he left. He looked happy all smiles and laughter. He couldn't remember the last time his son appeared to be that blissful. What shocked him the most was the young lady with Baelfire. She was younger than him but she was breathtakingly beautiful with long dark hair, creamy dainty skin, and light colored eye. Not as beautiful as his Belle, although, the way the pair looked at each other that did not set right with Rumpelstiltskin.

"Who is this, Bee?" The boy did not answer him and the objects started to fad. "Where are the things going?"

"I put them away." Bee now held a cobalt blue sock monkey with black button eyes in his hands. "I got what I needed. Are you ready for breakfast? Mommy sent me to take you to the dining room."

"Yes, just let me grab my cane." Bee walked to the door stopping to look back at him.

"Um, if you'd, please, not tell mommy I was in your room. She will be very mad at me and probably mad at you too."

Gold laughed at the child, "Well then, it will have to be our little secret. Lead the way my boy."

Bee took Rumpel down the flight of stairs leading to the large home's second level slowing down to keep pace with him. The boy looked like he wanted to ask him questions while they walked but he held his tongue unlike Henry did last night. Then Bee took him down the hall in the opposite direction of the door the group used last night to an open space on the left hand side. The space was a formal dining area with a table that seated fourteen comfortably and a back wall almost completely made of windows. The two side walls followed the pattern of the house wood paneling on the bottom and a golden green color above filled with painting and lighting posts. While the wall parallel to the windows was covered in floor to ceiling mirrors. The ceiling housed painting along with three large crystal chandeliers.

"The room is modeled after the Hall of Mirrors in Versailles." Ben said from behind walking around the two to take a seat at the table in the middle on the side facing the windows. The little boy followed him and sat on his lap. Ben hugged the child to him as he went on, "I hope your rest went well, Mr. Gold. Please take a seat. Breakfast should be out in a few moments."

His took a sit across from Benjamin at one of the few seating with a cream color plate and silverware watching as he gave Bee a kiss on the head. "Thank you. Are the children not joining us at the table?"

"Oh no," Ben looked down at the boy with a bright smile on his lips. "A child would not want to be stuck in here with old people when a child could be in the kitchen eating pancakes."

"Magical pancakes?" The boy gasped very loudly. Rumpel shook his head at the thought. Did the cake light up like a sparkler or something?

"What other kind is there?" Bee gave the old man a kiss on the check, jumped off his lap, and took off running farther down the hall way. "Bee, slow down!"

"Children," Gold said as he watched Bee go. "Always running off especially would you don't wanted too. Do you have any?"

A server came into the room carrying a large tray filled with anything a person would need at breakfast time. "Good morning gentlemen." The older darker complexed man with a small nose but big lips said as he set down the tray to unload it. "How do you handle it Ben? That child becomes more and more like his mother every day."

He laughed, "Larry, you act as if that is a terrible thing."

"What's a terrible thing? Good morning," A sweet voice rang from the hall way. Lena walked in wearing black workout clothes and red Nike sneakers. She nodded to Rumpel and with a smile walked around the massively long table to Ben, "Larry. Ben."

The server nodded back as Ben spoke, "Good morning, love. How was your run?"

She bent down to give him a peck on the cheek and take the seat next to him, "Great."

"Where are the boys?" Emma said as she walked into the room dressed in her red leather jacket, boots, and jeans.

"Bee talked Miss Hoffer into make him magical pancakes and I thought that Henry might enjoy them as well." She winked at Emma.

"What's a magical pancake?" Emma asked.

"It's hard to explain. " The server, Larry, said. A sound of multiple people softly snapping their fingers came from done the hall suddenly. "If you'd like to see the kitchen's to the left of the hall way. You are more than welcome to go watch. Here, let me escort you."

Emma left with the man to find the source of the snapping leading to a wonderfully sweet vanilla-like smell to find Henry sitting at an island sitting area in a very modern looking kitchen with the little boy, Bee, next to him and a woman at a grill flattop. She was short, heavy – set, older lady with blond to the point of white hair. When she turned around to face Emma she had a warm homey smile on her face as she greeted her kindly, "Hello, my dear, I'm Miss Hoffer. How many pancakes would you like?"

"Five plates?" Gold asked after Miss Swan left with the server.

"You can count."

The look Rumpelstiltskin gave her said she was very lucky to hold the keys to his son. "Will Bea be joining us?"

The sound of a door opening startled the three to look over to the window before Lena could answer. There on the left side of the window a door opened from the wall to outside. A man stood at the door, if you could call that a man. His size was beastly, but Rumpel had seen the giant in town and Tiny as he was called was bigger around. Yet this man was taller. He had to be at least 6'6" of not taller. The man looked over the three of them stopping at him. The man's dark eyes felt like ice had replaced his blood freezing Gold from the inside out. It was the look he expected to receive from his son the first time he saw him.

"Baelfire . . ." Rumpelstiltskin spattered out. The man could not be his son, right? He looked nothing like Bae. Yet Rumpel knew that people possessed the power to change their looks in this world. If Baelfire truly wanted to hide from him would he change his appearance? He did not know the answer.

Stunned by Gold's action the man stood unmoving processing what was going on. When he did speak he all but yelled. "He's here Lena?"

Rumpelstiltskin let out a deep breath for the monster was not his son. Lena was the one to answer the creature after a few minutes as she stood up. "No, he's in town. He just got in about a half an hour ago."

"Why is he here at all? What is he doing here?"

Lena had walked over to the man to stand in front of him. She nodded back to Gold, "His father is here to see him."

"You let the Dark One on to our land?" he roared even louder than before.

"It's none of your business who I let in my house and on my land." She threw his rage back at him.

"You are to protect the people that live here. It's your duty. What kind of leader drops everything to save her friend over her family?"

"We both know how family works here." She sneered at him, "How blood means little to actual family." She put her hand on his face as she soften her voice, "You worry too much. Nothing unwanted will happen here because of Baelfire . . ."

The man did not respond. He looked down at her past her eyes not listening to her anymore. "What the hell happened to you, Lena?"

"Nothing." Quickly she pushed out the words looking surprised. He grabbed her face roughly pulled her chin up. "Then why the hell do you look like you've been run through the ringer."

"What are you talking about?" Ben had gotten up as well trying to lead the two of them outside the door to finish their argument. "Show him, Lena."

"No," She ripped her face from his hand and pulled her arms around her chest like a little girl.

"Show your father." He tried to belittle her.

She hit her forehead with her hand, "Ben is not my father."

"You should bite your tongue. He's the closest thing you ever had to one. Now show him." His voice had become calm, scaring Lena by his composed reaction. Lena snapped her fingers while looking into his eyes as a white smoke covered her injuries revealing the black bruises all over her neck and the mark Emma had left around her eye yesterday. There was a gasp of Ben's raspy voice as the marks became exposed that broke the trance Lena experienced gazing at the man.

"Who did that to you?" Ben asked, "The eye was an accident but your neck, love."

She looked over at Rumpelstiltskin letting him see his work. To see the marks not on Lena but a woman that looked just like his Belle was unsettling even though he had done it himself. It disturbed him because he thought of what he would want to do anyone who had done that to his love and realized the man may want to do that to him. Rumpelstiltskin really could not blame the man either. Lena had big all covering black handprints on her small neck. He never thought he had physical big hands until that moment. What he understood less was the fact he felt a tad bit sorry he jumped to conclusions, but he wondered if it was solely because she looked just like Belle. "He did the neck . . . He thought I was his true love and got confused."

"Why are you defunding him?!" The man's voice sounded as if he whispered, but Lena knew he was trying not to move his body much. He was close to snapping an atom bomb size of pent-up rage. The key to preserving that rage at bay was keeping him still. "I'm not defunding him! I'm protecting you from doing something you will regret."

"The world will not miss a man like him." She grabbed his face with both of her hands pulling him down far enough to stare him straight in the eyes.

"No," before anyone including herself realized her lips were on his. Time went still. No one moved no one breathed. Lost on reasons for kissing him Lena lost reason for everything else going on around her. The kiss, no more than a peck on the lips, held something undefinable; something Lena could not name. But life called back before the answers revealed them.

"Lena," Ben cried outraged at her display. She shook her head a few times, while holding on to his, trying to get a hold on herself before speaking again.

"It does not matter if he's a monster Johnny. It's not in your power to choose who lives and dies. You know that. Besides what would Baelfire do if you kill him?" She lifted an eye brow at him and smiled a smile that Rumpel could not fully understand her meaning behind it. "It's not worth it. Now go. Meet me in the training room in an hour. You can take out your problems on me."

"Can you handle my anger?" the beast laughed.

"You should be asking yourself if you can handle mine right now." Lena threatened.

"Is that a challenge?" He raised his bushy brown eye brows as she pushed him out the door with a laugh while he spoke again. "Ben, don't go easy on him."

Lena had forgotten that others had been in the room while taking care of Johnny. So forgetful she forgotten Ben had learned of Rumpel's attack on her moments before. The scene threw a bucket of ice water at her. She found him staring Rumpel down with golden fire in his brown eyes as he tapped his long wrinkled fingers harshly on the back of his mahogany chair. His voice as just as hard as the force behind his finger tapping spoke slowly "He put his hands on you?"

"Ben," he started shaking his head back and forth as if he couldn't believe it. "Don't say any more, Lena."

"He put his hands on you. On you!" His grew to yelling by the end.

"Stop yelling. It will get you nowhere. The man thought I was his true love. It's easy to get confused by that. He is not the first and he will not be the last."

"Now you really are defunding him!"

"No," she took a deep breath, "I'm not. Kill him if you want but I'm just trying to stop you from making the same mistake Johnny would have made if I let him stay. You will regret it more so than anyone else." She put her hand on his check to calm him down stressing her next words more.

"You love both Baelfire and me as you love Richard. How would Baelfire feel knowing that the man who loves him as he loves his own son killed his father? He trusts you to be a better man, to be the good man you are. Don't fall to easy choices of hatred and anger. You of all people know the consequences of choosing wrongly."

Benjamin took a deep breath and let it go. Pursing his lips he went on, "Why would you touch her if she looks like Baelfire's mother?"

Gold coughed in surprise. When he failed to answer she laughed a strange laugh, more sarcastic then joyful. Her eye brows raised on her face as her eyes grew bigger with a sparkle rarely seen in grown people, "Balefire's mother was not his true love. He knows that. Hell, even called me her name."

Benjamin pushed off the chair to walk to the window standing there for a time. "I want this done as soon as possible and him gone Lena." He voice became harsh as he continued, "If anything happens . . ."

He opened the door Johnny ran through moments before without another word slamming it as he walked out. The windows shuddered in his wake. Lena watched him walk away from the house before turning back.

While this was happening Rumpel saw that it was in his best interest to purposely not draw more attention to himself. Both men had been all but ready to skin him alive for touching this little unremarkable girl and from the sounds of it Baelfire would have join them if he had been here. "I would say that I apologize for their behavior, but given the circumstances that fact you are still breathing is a gift. Excuse me; I have to check on Emma and the boys. If you need anything ring the bell on the table. Miss Hoffer will help you."

Lena came back to check on Rumpelstiltskin herself when he rang a time later. "I am at a loss. What happens next? You kill me?"

She giggled, "No, not today. I will be picking up Baelfire tonight. Until then there's not much trouble you can get into here. Do not go outside alone though. The people that live here will not react well to seeing a creature of darkness on their land. I can't live up to my side of the deal if you stupidly try to take a look around by yourself."

"I don't think you know me as well as you think little girl," He growled at her. "Besides I thought you owned the land."

"All I need to know is how your magic works here which it does not actually. And I do own the land, but only a fool would not realize that the land has been a part of the people here as long as the family that owns the land has been here. I do not control with force or fear but through other means."

"Such as?" The thought of this tiny creature able to take care of a makeshift kingdom interested him more than he wanted.

"None of your business," She smiled darkly at him with a matching glare. "Anyway, Ben wants to talk with you."

"Why?" The man was ready to rip out his throat less than an hour ago now he wanted to talk with him. Rumpel knew the girl must be lying. They must really want him died.

"Why wouldn't the man who took in your son in want to know more about the man who left him?"

"He truly took in Baelfire?"

"Yes, he took in both of us when we landed here from Neverland. You saw the picture of him and I soon after we came here in his room this morning." Gold's eyes widened. The boy had said he would keep his mouth shut. "Don't fret, Bee didn't tell. I just knew where his blue puppet was."

Accusation filled his tone. "You knew he would go looking for the toy. And Baelfire coming from Neverland? He was supposed to be here since he left."

She laughed lightly, "He started out here on Earth more than a hundred years ago but magic has a way of finding people of magic and changing their paths. Benjamin's in the last room down the hallway before the front door. The room is a library, if Ben is not there you should been entertained while you wait."

**I know this is begging, but would someone please review. Is this story worth my time or not? I love it, but it hard to keep going if no one else does. **


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